Stars win games in the NBA, and the result is a postseason studded with them. But not every great player makes it. USA TODAY Sports' Adi Joseph picks seven players whose absence will be noticed over the next two-plus months:

Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

The high-scoring small forward has never before missed the playoffs, for all the criticism he takes about being selfish. True, Anthony only has three playoff series victories under his belt, but he has reached the postseason two more times than fellow 2003 draftee LeBron James. Anthony is the NBA's second-leading scorer and had one of his best individual seasons as the Knicks fell to pieces around him.

What would the NBA's most notorious hothead do in the playoffs? That alone would be worth the price of admission. Cousins will miss the Kings' final regular-season game because he picked up his 16th technical foul of the season Sunday. He is a constant, aggressive complainer who has gotten himself in trouble on the court more than anyone since prime Rasheed Wallace. But Cousins also is remarkably talented, averaging 22.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists a game.

The hype around the 21-year-old blossoming superstar has reached a new height this season. Davis is posting 20.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, an NBA-best 2.8 blocks and 1.3 steals a game, all for a team that has been so beset by injuries that its promise never took off. Davis has faced injury himself, but there may not be a more talented young player in the league.

The top pick of the 2011 NBA draft has missed 49 games in three seasons yet still would top many lists of point guards younger than 25. He also is one of the most charismatic and marketable stars the NBA has, despite not yet playing in the postseason. Cleveland seemed to be ready to contend this season after some offseason moves but instead ends up back in the draft lottery. Washington Wizards point guard John Wall was drafted first overall the year before Irving and finally reached the playoffs this year, so patience could pay off.

What else could the All-Star power forward do this season? After being limited to 18 games last year because of injuries, Love is fourth in the NBA in scoring, third in rebounding and even tied for 10th in three-pointers made. He has had a season to remember, all while keeping the Timberwolves hovering around .500 and playing better than that, as victims of many close-game losses.

The NBA's oldest player moved up to third in career assists last week as he plays intermittently through a variety of injuries. Nash, 40, has two MVPs and eight All-Star bids on his Hall of Fame-worthy résumé. But he doesn't have a championship, which obviously was not in the cards with these Lakers. He is expected to return next season, if his back allows. A 12th trip to the playoffs would be a nice send-off for the often-overlooked legend.

Few in the NBA rise to the occasion quite like the 28-year-old champion point guard. Rondo averaged 17.3 points, 11.9 assists and 6.7 rebounds a game in the 2012 playoffs, including a 44-point, 10-assist, 8-rebound, 3-steal outburst against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. But injuries have limited him and the Celtics the past two seasons. Rondo was built for the playoffs, and he leaves a big hole to fill.

April 14, 2014: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Corey Brewer goes crowd surfing in the middle of a game against the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors went on to win a 130-120 shootout, clinching the 6th seed in the playoffs.
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

April 13, 2014: Paul George and his Indiana Pacers got a much-needed win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as his squad jousts with the Miami Heat for the top playoff spot in the East.
Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports

March 18, 2014: On the day he was introduced as Knicks president, Phil Jackson joins former teammates Walt Frazier and Dick Barnett and Peter DeBusschere, son of Jackson teammate Dave.
William Perlman, The Star-Ledger, via USA TODAY Sports

March 3, 2014: The night belonged to LeBron James, who put on a show for the South Beach crowd with a career-high and Heat-record 61 points in a 124-107 win over the Bobcats.
Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

March 2, 2014: Joakim Noah (13) sends Raymond Felton's (2) shot back where it came from as the Bulls rolled to a 109-90 win over the Knicks in Chicago. Noah wracked up a triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists.
Mike Dinovo, USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2014: Dwight Howard (12) beat Blake Griffin (32) for an alley-oop slam here, but it wasn't enough for the Rockets, who fell 101-93 to the Clippers in a matchup of Western Conference contenders.
Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports

Feb 24, 2014: Everyone knew he would take the shot, but the Knicks still couldn't stop Dirk Nowitzki (41), who hit the game-winning shot here at the buzzer to give the Mavericks a 110-108 win.
Anthony Gruppuso, USA TODAY Sports

Feb. 23, 2014: Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins (46) attempts a shot during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers. Collins became the first openly gay athlete to play in any of North America's four major professional sports.
Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

Feb. 5, 2014: Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins attempts to save the ball from going out of bounds during the third quarter in the Kings' game against the Toronto Raptors.
Ed Szczepanski, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 26, 2014: It was another emotional night in Boston as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett returned for the first time since being traded to the Nets in July. Each only scored six points, but Brooklyn came away with a 85-79 win.
Mark L. Baer, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 25, 2014: Thunder star Kevin Durant had his game face on for a 103-91 win over the 76ers, finishing with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double of the season. Durant also scored 30 or more for the 10th consecutive game.
Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 24, 2014: Carmelo Anthony was all smiles after he delighted the home crowd and lit up Madison Square Garden with a franchise and arena-record 62 points in the Knicks' 125-96 win over the Bobcats.
Noah K. Murray, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 12, 2014: C.J. Miles (0) couldn't get to the bucket here against Jason Thompson (34), just as the Cavaliers had a tough time scoring against the Kings in a 124-80 loss. Sacramento's 44-point blowout was the biggest rout of the NBA season so far.
Kelley L. Cox, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 10, 2014: In an NBA first, the Heat and Nets wore jerseys with nicknames on the back. "The Truth" Paul Pierce (34) and the Nets got the better of "King James" LeBron James and the Heat in a 104-95 double-overtime win.
Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 5, 2014: A frustrated Jose Calderon pleads his case with an official during the Mavericks' home loss to the Knicks. New York frustrated Dallas into a season low in points in a 92-80 win.
Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 4, 2014: Kevin Love, right, got the better of Kevin Durant in this collision of All-Stars, but Durant and the Thunder got the better of Love and the Timberwolves on the scoreboard in Oklahoma City's 115-111 win.
Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 1, 2014: Monta Ellis (11) played some tough defense on John Wall (2) here as the Mavericks locked down on the Wizards in the fourth quarter of an 87-78 win in Washington.
Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 23, 2013: In the epitome of a size mismatch, the 7-0 Dirk Nowitzki shoots over the 6-3 Jeremy Lin during a Mavericks win over the Rockets. Nowtizki scored a game-high 31 points to move into 13th place on the all-time scoring list.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 21, 2013: Damian Lillard does it all for the Portland Trail Blazers. The reigning Rookie of the Year hit the floor to corral a loose ball here and later hit the go-ahead three-pointer in a 110-107 home win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Steve Dykes, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 19, 2013: No Big 3 was no problem for the Spurs. Even with Tim Duncan cheering from the bench and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker also out, San Antonio edged Golden State on the road 104-102.
Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 14, 2013: Washington point guard John Wall (2) wasn't happy with a call here or the Wizards' play in a 113-97 home loss to the Clippers. Wall finished with 24 points and 12 assists, but his Los Angeles counterpart Chris Paul answered with 38 points and 12 dimes.
Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 11, 2013: It was an emotional night in Boston when former coach Doc Rivers returned to the TD Garden as a visitor. Rivers received a standing ovation during a video tribute to his nine years with the Celtics.
Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 8, 2013: It was thumbs up all around in Laker Land when Kobe Bryant made his season debut eight months after suffering a torn Achilles tendon. Bryant's return was not enough, though, as Los Angeles lost to the Toronto Raptors.
Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 6, 2013: Rockets guard James Harden (13) drives the ball on a fast break during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center in Houston.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 5, 2013: Iman Shumpert (21) and Andray Blatche (0) shared just a few of the many heated words exchanged between the Knicks and Nets in the battle of New York. Shumpert and the Knicks routed Blatche and the Nets in the first of four meetings this season.
Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports

Nov. 23, 2013: Tempers flare during a third-quarter altercation between the Blazers and Warriors in Oakland. The fracas led to three ejections and six technical fouls during Portland's come-from-behind win.
Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports